It’s Good News Monday!
This Monday we talk about:
Ice-strengthened props at the ‘heart’ of new Russian AHTS vessels
Maersk Enters Partnership To Supply COVID-19 Vaccines
Leading energy companies form partnership to accelerate the development of offshore transport and storage infrastructure for carbon emissions in UK North Sea
P&O Maritime Logistics to support offshore wind development in Taiwan
Historic Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Moves To Houston
Image Credit: Riviera
2020 has been rough, but there have been new builds ordered. According to Riviera, “Orders for 12 offshore support, two offshore supply and four offshore anchor-handling tug supply (AHTS) vessels had been placed as of mid-October 2020.” V Denge Technology in Istanbul is designing two of these builds: the Polar and Polus. Three controllable pitch (CP) 1,740 kW Schottel SCP 65 4-XSG propellers drive each vessel, with a bollard pull of 70 tonnes. Each ship will receive one 400-kW Schottel transverse thruster for DP1 dynamic positioning. The propellers are ice-strengthened to Finnish-Swedish Ice Class 1A Super and can operate in a minimum drought of 2.5 meters. Construction, towing, hauling, pipe-laying, and emergency response are just a few of the uses for the new vessels.
Schlumberger will be working on a Qatari-owned vessel for well simulation. “One of the centrepieces of the five-year joint development project is a Qatar-owned, Qatar-flagged and Qatar-operated oil well stimulation vessel. Milaha said the first of these vessels would be designed and outfitted in Qatar, creating the inaugural FlexSTIM platform, which will be modified, owned and operated locally.” Schlumberger can design and implement a FlexSTIM system in less than four weeks in some cases, very quick even for a dedicated simulation.
Solstad Offshore has completed a multi-year refinancing of the company. “The resolutions approved at the EGM included a share capital increase by conversion of Nkr9.7Bn (US$1Bn) in debt and by contributions in cash directed against certain creditors and investors.” They also confirmed new board members and hope that this is the beginning of a new start for Solstad. Lars Peder Solstad, CEO, said “Solstad Offshore is now significantly stronger and will continue to be a reliable partner for our clients, suppliers and employees.”
Image Credit: gCaptain
COVAXX, a biotech company developing a vaccine for COVID-19, announced a partnership with global shipping giant Maersk. “The agreement lays out a framework for all transportation and supply chain services that will be needed to deliver COVAXX’s vaccine candidate UB-612 around the world, once approved by regulatory authorities.” The vaccine is designed to mimic natural biology, and the technology has had good results so far in testing. Maersk will provide a complete logistics solution from packing to distribution. 100 million doses are planned in early 2021 with 1 billion by the end of that year. The vaccines can be transported in standard refrigerated units and don’t require any special super-cooling.
“‘Efficient and safe delivery of COVID-19 vaccines around the world is the most urgent logistics challenge we face today,’ said Rob Townley, Head of Special Project Logistics at Maersk. ‘Our specialized logistics expertise and the global infrastructure of Maersk make this a perfect match.’”
Image Credit: bp
“bp, Eni, Equinor, National Grid, Shell and Total today confirmed they have formed a new partnership, the Northern Endurance Partnership (NEP), to develop offshore carbon dioxide (CO2) transport and storage infrastructure in the UK North Sea, with bp as operator.” Net Zero Teesside (NZT) and Zero Carbon Humber (ZCH) projects will be served by the planned infrastructure. Both NZT and ZCH decarbonization projects are expected to be finished in 2026 with a goal of net zero by 2030. The UK government’s Industrial Decarbonisation Challenge Phase 2 may provide funding for NEP. Senior vice president for business development for National Grid Ventures Martin Cook, said “We’re delighted to start working together with five really world class energy companies to deliver a solution that will play a critical role in decarbonizing the UK’s largest industrial heartland and protecting tens of thousands of jobs in the process.”
Image Credit: Riviera
P&O Maritime Logistics in Dubai is supplying three vessels for offshore wind operations in Taiwan in a contract valued at over US$30M. Topaz Installer will lay cable for client Ørsted Taiwan Limited. Topaz Tangaroa is a construction vessel with a 1 KW trencher to support the vessel Nexus with cable laying, also for client Ørsted Taiwan Limited. Topaz Tiamat will support monopile and foundation installations for the Changfang and Xidao windfarms.
Image Credit: gCaptain
The United States’ largest dredging services provider, Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company, (NASDAQ: GLDD) has been headquartered in Chicago since its founding in 1890. Last week, it announced it is moving operations to Houston, Texas, as many other maritime companies have. The company operates throughout the coastlines and waterways across the U.S., and has even done some work in the Middle East. Markets have shifted from the Great Lakes region to the Gulf Coast, and GLDD feels they can better serve their customers in Houston. They expect to open their new headquarters in early 2021, increasing staff over the next year. The company is a leader in dredging and has over 1,000 employees worldwide. They have also opened offices in Jacksonville, FL and Staten Island, NY to run large projects and handle more work.
Smile, it’s Good News Monday! :-)